A Small Commercial Interruption...The Science of Cheating

By Marcie Barnes

Greetings friends - sorry I have been missing lately, but I have been busy! Apart from the lengthy essay I had to complete (see below post) ... I have been writing a book! Well, co-authoring one anyway. I invite you to visit the book's website, http://www.thescienceofcheating.com/ for more information.

Chris and I have put together what we think is a whole new way of looking at relationships and the number one relationship "problem": infidelity. With the help of several top industry experts, including Lucy L. Brown, Ph.D. - Department Neuroscience at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Timothy Ferriss - bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, we have put together what we think is a fabulous tool for many to help put a horribly confusing and stressful time into perspective...and explains exactly what steps to take in order to improve the situation.

I also invite you to check out the details of "The Great Cheating Experiment" - we think this is really interesting stuff. Our goal is to continue this experiment into the future as we look at the patterns of cheating that may emerge culturally and across different genders, races, etc.

If you are in a committed relationship, you owe it to yourself to educate yourself on these issues, no matter how secure you feel in that relationship. We have found that there is rampant cheating in America...more than we ever thought in the beginning. We hope you will take the time to order our book and let us know what you think!

Flaws in an International Nutrition Icon: The USDA Food Pyramid

(This post is part of an assignment for the class I am taking, Global Impact of New Communication Technologies at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is the abstract for and link to my final essay.)

By Marcie Barnes

Abstract

The familiar Food Guide Pyramid and the newer MyPyramid from the United States Department of Agriculture are widely used graphical representations of what the government agency deems to be appropriate proportions of different kinds of foods for the American public. These icons are used to educate people, including children, on what they should be eating. The International community and press also frequently reference this source. This paper examines the flaws in the old and new food pyramids by investigating scientific research, including that which the Pyramid’s critics use to back up their claims, and explores the reasons why the government agency is seemingly ignoring the science. In addition, this paper proposes a new “food continuum” as a better way to graphically represent the dietary needs of the human body in a way that is easy to understand for the unhealthiest segment of our population: the poor.

To read the paper in its entirety, click here.